Why should bikers be allowed to use bus lanes?

Seth Brundle

I was recently discussing this with my father and would like bikers opinions on it - why should bikers be allowed to use bus lanes. Whilst both of agreed that there are safety benefits for bikers using bus lanes, my father claimed that these strictly benefits would largely be irrelevant if bikers don't weave between traffic and hold their place as they would in a car.
What are your arguments for using bus lanes [and Im not trying to put any of you on the defensive!]?

Krusty_Clown

As an incentive to encourage car users to switch to the more eco and traffic friendly motorcycles!

But you'll find some more relevant (and useful) arguments here.

Idleater

kbannon wrote:

I was recently discussing this with my father and would like bikers opinions on it - why should bikers be allowed to use bus lanes. Whilst both of agreed that there are safety benefits for bikers using bus lanes, my father claimed that these strictly benefits would largely be irrelevant if bikers don't weave between traffic and hold their place as they would in a car.
What are your arguments for using bus lanes [and Im not trying to put any of you on the defensive!]?

Your father is technically correct. There is one interpretation of the law that says that bikes (as motorised vehicles) should remain "in sequence" behind the vehicle in front. However, under several other interpretations, "filtering" between lanes is technically overtaking and therefore perfectly legal.

The caveat is that all motorists should be driving with due care and attention for the prevailing road and traffic conditions at the time. This means that if the traffic is stationary, but the speed limit is 80/100/120 kmph or whatever, it does not mean that a motorbike is entitled to filter at that speed.

When doing my Advanced motorbike test, I was told by the examiner that filtering would be accepted but only while the other traffic was stationary. and in accordance with driving with due care and attention etc. Driving in the Buslanes though, was not permitted.

My personal opinion is that bikes would hardly be considered to be in anyone's way (either filtering or in the buslane) and I doubt that even the slowest bike would hold up any other vehicle in the traffic conditions where filtering is possible. So why not let bikes use the bus lane where they can filter with a greater level of safety than they would otherwise have in between the lanes of traffic.

L.

seamus

Safety, largely. By removing bikes from the stream of traffic, particularly in wet/windy weather, the risk factor is massively reduced.

The argument of "If bikers stayed with the rest of the traffic flow..." is a bit moot. Part of the reason for buying a motorcycle is the ability to filter or overtake stationery traffic. Plus, it would be next to impossible to convince most bikers to not do this.

I would also argue that forcing bikers to remain in the traffic presents more of a safety risk in poor weather and in the evening. In heavy traffic, drivers become fatigued, and are much more likely to drop their concentration and shunt the vehicle in front. If this vehicle is a motorcycle, a shunt can be fatal. In wet and cold weather, a motorcyclist becomes fatigued more quickly as they get colder, increasing their own likelihood of making a mistake. If you make them sit in traffic during this weather, you increase their risk.

subway

why should we be allowed?
all of the above.
plus if you dont a smart ass
were going to use them anyway.

im not going to sit in traffic while theres an empty lane beside me.
no garda has ever questioned me.
ive had squad cars follow me the length of a bus lane and never been stopped.
ive followed garda bikes up the bus lane and never been questioned when we stop at the lights.
ive pulled up to traffic coprs gardai at the end of a bus lane and theyve just let me be.

im my 3 years experience in this city there is no point stopping a bike in a bus lane.
you stop one and 3 more will go by in that time.
the biker will be back in the lane tomorrow.
id rather go up the bus lane and take it handy than go up the outside and get stuck every 3rd of 4th car because they like to drive slightly on the wring side of the road in order to see the line of traffic ahead.



its simple for bikes to squeeze through almost any gap.

you could 15 bikes in the space of one car and theyed all still be away faster than that one car.

in sumation
bikes shouls be allowe use bus lanes as they dont cause congestion,
they relieve it.

saobh_ie

The bus lane in certain circumstances does make it safer for the bike but I am opposed to making it legal, I think. My main concern is that if we were allowed in the bus lane I have concerns about being made to use the bus lane, younger, inexperienced riders would find themselves in heavy traffic with their own private lane which just happen to be, whether it looks like it or not, the most dangerous one on the road.

Currently if I’m in the bus lane, and if I’m in the city center I inevitably am for some parts of my trip, I’m breaking the law. If I’m in an accident my fault or not I’m unlikely to get anything from an insurance company. Because of this I’m damned careful in there, no more or less careful than if I was filtering between two lanes or down the outside facing on coming traffic.

However when there’s an attractive gap in the main traffic lanes and its moving at a similar speed to my self I’ll take up a position with traffic, and sit there until the traffic starts to slow and then if possible I’m out of there before I get rear ended again, whether its overtaking to the offside, splitting down the middle or sliding into the bus lane. I will not sit in traffic if I can help it unless there’s a car or two stopped far enough behind me and the driver looks okay.

Basically, I when I’m out on my bike I may bend laws all over the shop, but I’m happy to do this, it’s a conscious decision on my part.

Okay, may as well be straight up for a minute. If bikes in bus lanes is legalised I’m scared for those ride like it’s a bicycle moped types who hug the left, I’m concerned they’ll be speeding along with the law on their side. I’m concerned that they’ll never learn to mingle with traffic and when a car/lorry/space shuttle turns across their path they’ll hurt themselves, somebody else, or me.

Also concerned that instead of speeding along chopping and changing (safely at no inconvenience to other road users, although they’ll just think I’m weaving and brand me as a mad man) to suit the direction I’m travelling and the speed of the various lanes that public opinion will deem that I should be in the bus lane with the buses and bicycles and all the other second class citizens.

There’s only two reasons to legalise bikes in bus lanes, when we get run over the insurance companies cough up, and as somebody else mentioned above, people in their cars will see us flying by and instead of thinking, “That Illegal Mad Man” they’ll think, “He’s going to be work in a minute, cup of tea on desk and he’s going to be leaving the office before me and at home before I get to the car park.”

EDIT: I'm starting to miss the anti-bike commentary and counterpoints we used to get next door.

ifah

I was knocked off my bike by a car turning across me in the bus lane and both the guards and insurance company said nothing about the fact that I should or shouldn't have been in the bus lane - it all came down to the fact that the other driver was driving without due care and was deemed (by his own insurance co.) to be guilty of dengerous driving causing an accident.

My reasons to support legalising riding in the bus lane (within speed restrictions) would be primarily safety - more chance of been seen and more chance of seeing danger approaching.

and if you think about it there are parts of dublin already that are bus lane only (eg right turn georges st to dame st, left turn dawson st to suffolk st) but are open to bikes.

Hotblack Desiato

Saobh, I'm sorry I've heard a lot of bollo about bikes in my time but that takes the biscuit. Transport for London have found (much to their dismay) that bikes in buslanes is safer, but they keep extending the study in the "hope" that a fatal accident will prove them right! Barstewards. But at least they rely on statistics not like our lot of prejudiced officials who are just anti-bike.

Instead of trying to find reasons to allow bikes in bus lanes, we should be asking WHY NOT? Apart from ill-informed prejudice there is nothing that stands up.

saobh_ie

hehe... yeah I'm having second thoughts. I've never had any hassle in the bus lane. Changing the laws so that I'm allowed to be there most likley will not change things signifigantly if at all.

It would also appear to be an advantage for bikes making them more attractive to the non biking community.

Seth Brundle

all good points.
What is the situation in the likes of Germany?

Tomohawk

posted by saobh_ie
It would also appear to be an advantage for bikes making them more attractive to the non biking community.

I like the sound of this, means more secondhand bikes and vespas to choose from. Means more of a political lobby for Irish bikers and should mean more bike shops and more consumer choice. (well maybe not, but my first point stands)

Would be nice to see more folk on two wheels with an engine between their legs anyways...

Borzoi

saobh_ie wrote:

hehe... yeah I'm having second thoughts. I've never had any hassle in the bus lane. .

Just back from lunch - biker knocked doen in the bus lans ouutside the Ardmore Hotel in Finglas. I've little details except that he was taken away in an ambulance, and the bike on a tow truck. A blue Honda I think, 01D reg is all I got.

Be careful in those bus lanes - lots of idiots around driving all manner of vehicles